Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Other Stuff => Other Topics => Topic started by: TerryD on October 25, 2011, 11:21:18 am

Title: How do I connect Marantz record player to Voice of Music tube amp?
Post by: TerryD on October 25, 2011, 11:21:18 am

I just cobbled together my Voice of music tube stereo amp from a console to a compact unit.  My DVD/CD player plays fine through the aux.  Actually the DVD/CD also plays fine through the record player rca inputs as well.

My problem is that playing my Marantz 6100 record player through the record player rca inputs on the Voice of Music tuber only comes out at very low volumes.  It doesn't seem distorted, just very low.

My question:  What is a cheap economical fix to this that even....well, a Bozo, could accomplish and be in Bozo record player heaven.

Thanks ahead

Title: Re: How do I connect Marantz record player to Voice of Music tube amp?
Post by: bigsbybender on October 25, 2011, 11:53:51 am

Phonographs require an additional preamp to get the signal to line level. Most other peripherals (Tape,CD,DVD, etc) have small preamps built in, Phonographs typically do not. In the 1970s and 80s when modular (Pioneer, Onkyo, Kenwood, Marantz etc.) stereos were most popular the Amp/receiver often had the phono preamp built in and you ran signal through dedicated phono inputs.
For gear built before and after that period, a Preamp is often needed. Your original RCA phonograph would have been built to match the input for that particular amp. Most Standalone phonographs are not like this and they need some serious gain to get them to line level.

Preamps range in price a great deal. Some Audiophool ones can cost in the thousands of dollars. I built a tube phono preamp one for my tube stereo but haven't been happy with the results so I may just buy one of these listed below.

This one is most affordable.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-RIAA-Stereo-Phono-Preamplifier-Preamp-Turntable-Amp-/260735697371?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb50f01db (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-RIAA-Stereo-Phono-Preamplifier-Preamp-Turntable-Amp-/260735697371?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb50f01db)

Here is a selection of varying degrees of price and quality:
http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?FTR=phono+preamp&search_type=main&WebPage_ID=3&searchFilter=phono+preamp&x=0&y=0 (http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?FTR=phono+preamp&search_type=main&WebPage_ID=3&searchFilter=phono+preamp&x=0&y=0)


j.

Title: Re: How do I connect Marantz record player to Voice of Music tube amp?
Post by: TerryD on October 25, 2011, 02:01:42 pm

Thanks! That looks like the ticket.    Actually the one on Ebay for 13.99 seems about equal to a bunch of others in the 30-50 price range and the unit has good feedback.   

But it's a toss up between that and another one I saw on Ebay for $12,999. 

I'll ask my wife.  She's good at decisions like that.

Title: Re: How do I connect Marantz record player to Voice of Music tube amp?
Post by: PRR on October 25, 2011, 07:23:15 pm

Popular-price needles were ceramic. These make nearly 1V output and sorta-flat response.

"High Fidelity" needles were nearly all magnetic. These make 0.005V output and need massive bass-boost.

Your hi-fi turntable needs a preamp to work into your non-hi-fi amp.

The $13 sardine-can preamp has been in production since the 1960s. It is junk. I have used a LOT of these with general satisfaction. I have paid $99 for a preamp with different problems, not generally better performance.

Your next for-sure step up is Hagerman Bugle Kit. You will be in for over $100 when fully built, but it is an excellent fault-free phono preamp. Really far too good for this application, but that's OK.

The vintage solution is a tube preamp. One 12AX7 per channel. No more work than building the front-end of some gitar amps. There are super tube preamps, but an appropriate source would be old Fisher or Scott plans.